Sacramento Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

A Truckee man who pled guilty in Placer County Superior Court to a straight DUI has been sentenced to 25 years to life under California's three strikes law.

Douglas Doyle's prior criminal record included five misdemeanor convictions, four felony convictions, and four sentences to state prison. In 1987, he was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter involving alcohol after killing a Tahoe City teacher on Highway 89.

Doyle and his attorney had attempted to have two prior convictions removed from his record. The judge, however, denied that motion.

The Sacramento Police Department has announced that it will have a DUI and drivers license checkpoint tonight, Saturday, February 12. It will take place near the intersection of 24th Street and Florin Road, and start at 8:30 PM and last until early Sunday morning.

Uniformed Sacramento Police Department officers will check for valid drivers licenses, as well as look for signs of drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

As always, we encourage people who plan on going out drinking to arrange for designated drivers and keep handy the phone numbers of cab companies.

Some San Diego area residents are advocating tougher penalties for juveniles charged with DUI.

Taya Chase - who was hit by a 17-year-old drunk driver on September 20, 2009 - and Erin Limonchi - whose mother was killed by the same driver later that morning - are calling on state lawmakers to change California law so that underaged drunk drivers will be tried as adults rather than juveniles.

Under current law, someone found guilty of DUI in a juvenile court could face time in a juvenile detention facility or other penalties. For the purposes of the criminal courts, the juvenile delinquency adjudication does not become part of an adult criminal record. For the purposes of DMV, the DUI does count against a person's driving record.

Someone found guilty of DUI in adult court, however, would face substantial fines, jail time, and restrictions of driving privileges. The conviction would also become part of the person's criminal record.

There is no indication yet that the legislature will take up this proposal.